The town centre of St Petersburg was filled with a rare display of dissent against Russian President Vladimir Putin this evening as hundreds sang anti-war songs.

In Kazanskaya Square, a crowd joined to sing and chant lyrics to a song by Noize MC, a pro-Ukrainian rapper, who fled Russia for Lithuania when the war broke out in 2022.

‘Where have you been for eight years, you f***ing monsters? I want to watch ballet, let the swans dance,’ they sang defiantly.

The display was a rare protest against Putin, who is known to go after those who speak out against him.

The song protestors sang was banned by a court in St Petersburg in May, and singer Diana Loginova, 18, was arrested by police for leading the crowd in the tune.

Diana’s mum, Irina, told Russian media her daughter has ‘no political stance’ and sang it because it was ‘popular’.

‘Moreover, she’s a patriot of our country, she loves Russia very much and has no plans to leave! She has no intention of supporting Ukraine,’ she added.

Sentiment against the war in Ukraine is only growing in Russia as more men die and the draft increases.

Today, Russia’s largest oil companies and global businesses propping up Putin’s illegal war have been hit by fresh sanctions as the UK moves to increase pressure on Kremlin revenues.

Yesterday, Russian forces launched powerful glide bombs and drones against Ukraine’s second-largest city in overnight attacks, hitting a hospital and wounding seven people, an official said.

It came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prepared to travel to Washington and ask US President Donald Trump for more American military help.

The talks are expected to centre on the potential US provision to Ukraine of sophisticated long-range weapons that can hit back at Russia.

When the war first broke out, Putin had thousands of anti-war protestors arrested in more than 50 cities across Russia.

Police in St Petersburg were seen dragging away a young woman carrying a black bag with the words, ‘No war’ at one point.

Russia has made spontaneous mass demonstrations illegal.

Some individuals stood alone holding pickets in Moscow and city squares across the country, a form of demonstration that was allowed until March 2020 when it was prohibited due to the coronavirus pandemic.